I've Moved!

Hello, my dear readers!

I've recently made the decision for a fresh start -- to move this blog to a place called The Book Sprite.

the-book-sprite.blogspot.com

I started Merikthorne Library almost two years ago, when I was in need of a place to post my book reviews. Since then, I've discovered that I don't need to review every. single. book (fancy that!), and that I'd like a new home for blog tours and cover reveals.

So, after June 8th, you can find all my latest blog tours and cover reveals at The Book Sprite! For now, until I get some new content up, I've taken my "best of" book reviews and posted them there.

I hope you take a peek at (and maybe even follow 😉) my new blog! I'm excited for this new adventure, and while Merikthorne Library has been a happy home for several months... I'm ready to start anew.

❤, the Book Dragon

P.S. I still plan to be plenty active on my author blog, as well, and you're always more than welcome to follow me there, too! 😉💕

THE PRINCE & THE DRESSMAKER by Jen Wang | A Political Agenda I Do Not Approve Of

I originally shared this review on Goodreads. To see it on GR, click here.

❤, the Book Dragon

★☆☆☆☆

When I first reviewed this, I wrote that I had no plans for a public review, and friends were welcome to PM me for my full thoughts.

...Well, I've changed my mind (although friends are still welcome to PM me 😉).

First off, here's a little background (spoiler alert, I'm a conservative Christian):

I picked up this book because of the synopsis. Because, upon first glance, it looked like a kid's book (?!?!). And, being a reader who might someday marry a fellow reader and possibly find herself the proud mother of several book-loving offspring, I wanted to get a feel for the politics are being slipped into MG/children's books, today (even though motherhood is a loooong ways away).

Surprisingly, The Prince & the Dressmaker was fairly clean. There was some immodest fashion, drinking, a touch of romance -- and nothing I took as really supportive of homosexuality. But there was the issue of transgenderism. (Is "transgenderism" even a word? Idk. But you get what I mean.)

I do not support those who are transgender. This does not mean that I hate them -- this means that I do not approve of what they're doing.

The Prince & the Dressmaker follows a Parisian summer in the lives of Sebastian (a prince) and Frances (a dressmaker). Frances just wants to become a fashion designer, but Sebastian just wants to be a princess... or a guy who wears dresses. Thus, Frances becomes his private seamstress, and Sebastian dances nights away as the mysterious Lady Crystallia.

This is a story of acceptance, of dreams, and of young love. But this is not a story about helping those in need (and by "helping," I mean love, compassion, understanding, and study).

This isn't a Christian book. It's a political agenda. It's a book that says, "Boys, it's okay to dress up like a girl if you want to!"

I don't agree with that.

I don't want to bog down any brave souls who've managed to make it this far through my review, so I'll leave you with a few verses:

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, He took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

~Genesis 2:20b-22, 24 (NIV)

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers -- and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

~1 Timothy 1:8-11 (NIV)

A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this.

~Deuteronomy 22:5 (NIV)

SOME NOTES

• For those who are like me and prefer to skim, a quick recap: I do not support the practices of homosexuality or being transgender.
• I do not hate homosexuals or transgender people -- I simply do not approve of their practices.
• A little digging revealed that The Prince & the Dressmaker by Jen Wang is not MG, but YA; however, it is still marketed as "a fairytale for any age."
• I do not recommend this book. I strongly believe that it fits a political agenda, and while that may appeal to some, such is not the case for me.
• I've done my best with this review. It's probably choppy, wordy, and incomprehensible... but hopefully I'll refine it over time, as I often do.
• I'd really appreciate it if we didn't murder each other in the comments. I don't want to fight -- just like every other Goodreads user, I'm here to express my personal opinion. :)

Freebie Book Club Alert!

Click to visit My Reader Rewards Club!

Good morrow, dear readers! Thanks to my sweet friend Victoria @ Ruffles & Grace, I've discovered the Tyndale House Reader Rewards Club! It's really simple -- and crazy cool!

• When you sign up using my link, you get 25 points + I get 10
• The more points you receive, the more opportunities you have to receive prizes!
• You may earn points whenever you please, by visiting "Earn Points" page to learn more

I signed up last night, and I've already earned 150 points -- some of which I've now disposed of, in order to earn me a shiny new book this morning! ISN'T THAT THE COOLEST THING EVER?! IT'S SERIOUSLY AWESOME. 😍 And you can give the club a try, by clicking here or at the link below!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE TYNDALE HOUSE READER REWARDS CLUB

NOTE: This is not paid promotion. I created this post out of my own free will; the only advantage I will receive is ten points for sharing, and, should readers use my link, ten points towards my next book. 🙂

❤, the Book Dragon

SENTINEL by Jamie Foley | An Allegorical Thriller Reminiscent of Rick Riordan

★★★★☆

The adventure begins...

I'm not one for thrillers or anything labeled "supernatural" -- it's just not my thing. But Jamie Foley's Sentinel -- the first in a striking new trilogy -- is an exception.

Darien Aetherswift's life isn't perfect. And neither is his sister Tera's. Their life is modest, cramped into a tiny apartment and repair shop filled with frequent calls to their insane mother, haunted by the memory of their father's death.

And then the meteor storm comes.

Suddenly, Darien and Tera's barely-manageable life spirals out of control, and, little do they know, they're being hunted.

THIS. BOOK. Y'ALL. Just... i cant words.

First off, CAN WE TALK ABOUT JET? bc Jet had to be my favorite part of this book.

An ex-sniper, Jet cares about two people, and two people only. The first is his sister, Aleah. The second... well, you'll see. 😉

But Jet is seriously A WHOLE BUNCH OF MUSCLES AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF AWESOME. He mentors Darien throughout the novel (and hates his guts... Jet and Darien should be every bromance's goal 😜), is desperately fond of people (but still a military man at heart), and is basically every character's Prince-Charming-to-the-rescue. (Seriously, he's amazing. Reason #10898945 you should read this novel.)

Secondly, the plot + the writing. Think a lighter, Christian version of Rick Riordan... but with angels' besties and element-wielding teens instead of Greek mythology and demigods. Got a clear picture? Yeah, IT'S EPIC. 😻

Just... go read this book, guys! You won't regret it. 💜

You may want to know: There is a fair bit of violence, along with some supernatural (but allegorical) elements.

NOTE: I received a free ebook copy of Sentinel from the author, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon

DANDELION DUST by Faith L. Potts | A Stunning, Modern Romance Filled with Parables of Christianity

First of all, my apologies to Faith for this review taking so long in the writing! Life kinda swallowed me whole. 😉

Now, on to the review...

{Source.}

★★★★★

(4.5 stars)

For one small moment, Charity's life was perfect -- until a fraction of a second changed everything.

When Faith announced the release of her debut novella, I was ecstatic. A modern, Christian romance featuring two young adults? With a coffee shop or two, and a dash of four-wheeling thrown in? SO MUCH YES. So when the opportunity arose to review Dandelion Dust, I jumped at the chance... and I was not in the least disappointed. 💕

Charity Grace's life is perfect. Four years ago, a mission trip to Guatemala revealed a newfound friend in Hannah Traven, an Oklahoma native. Now, Charity's off to college... and she and Hannah's older brother are dating, completely head-over-heels for one another.

...And then the phone call comes, and Charity's world begins to crumble. For, "like a speck of dandelion dust riding the tides of a prairie wind, life is fleeting"... and her boyfriend's life hangs in the balance.

FRENS. This book... *sighs* I laughed, I cried, I adored it.

Each character was so human, so flawlessly crafted that one could easily believe them to be a friend or family member.

AND THE ROMANCE. *flails* Gaaah, the romance! It. Was. Adorable. Ryder and Charity were so sweet and natural together! I'd readily describe it as one of the most realistic inspirational romances I've ever read.

My, my. The plot, the themes, the writing... it was all woven together so beautifully. Everything about this book was perfect. 💗

For a truly inspiring tale of God's unwavering love, I whole-heartedly recommend Dandelion Dust!

You may want to know: Although one character is injured in a quad accident, the story does not dwell on the specifics of the incident itself (a.k.a. there's no gore). This book does carry a bit of romance, but I'd readily deem it void of anything questionable. 🙂

NOTE: I received a free ebook copy of Dandelion Dust from the author, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon

THE NOTES IN OUR HEARTS | A Thoughtful Short Story ft. Multi-Generation Romances

{Source.}

★★★★☆

San Francisco, 1993: Olivia Hartford is a theatre manager on the hunt for a musician-for-hire. But when her grandmother reveals a heartbreaking past and Olivia uncovers a shocking secret, her entire world is tossed on stormy seas. For better or for worse, there is more to this story than she ever could've imagined...

Oh, how nice this story was! The romance was positively charming, and I loved how several generations were pulled in and woven through! And that gentlemanly respect for marriage... YES. It was wonderful, and so needs to be in YA fiction, more! 😄 Four stars!

You may want to know: This book was completely clean, and seemed void of anything questionable. 🙂

NOTE: I received a free ebook copy of The Notes in Our Hearts from the author, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon

THE SOUND OF SILVER | An Emotion-Packed Sequel to THE SOUND OF DIAMONDS

{Source.}

★★★☆☆

She fights for faith. He fights for honor.

I read and reviewed The Sound of Diamonds, book one in the Steadfast Love trilogy, back in April, as a part of The Sound of Emeralds anniversary tour. After thoroughly enjoying it, Rachelle was so kind as to offer me a free ebook copy of its sequel in exchange for an honest review (I'm so sorry this took so long in the writing, friend!).

The Sound of Silver picks up immediately where book one left off. Dirk has just rescu-- well, spoilers, m'dear. Spoilers. 😉

Character-wise, loved how much Cade and Ian were further developed! The difference between them was much clearer than before, and I totally ship Cade and Margried and Ian and a certain someone!

However, I felt a great deal less connected to Dirk and Gwyn. I wanted to shake them and another main couple so I could remind them that THEY BELONG TOGETHER! But several of these issues were well resolved, by the end. 😸

Though I didn't love The Sound of Silver quite as much as The Sound of Diamonds, don't let my lower rating deter you! If you enjoy Christian romance set in the late middle ages, then I'm sure you'll enjoy this!

You may want to know: There is some detailed kissing, as well as mild violence.

NOTE: As mentioned above, I received a free ebook copy of The Sound of Silver from the author, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Click here to read my Goodreads review.

❤, the Book Dragon